It’s less of a novel and more of a monologue, but Adam Driver and the Million Dollar Haircut is an entertaining romp through The Hague, New York and one man’s slightly fictionalized life story. 

The book’s narrator, Casper, has moved to the Hague to work at the International Criminal Court and, as many new internationals do, finds himself in need of a haircut. He turns to Google, which supplies a result for a “night barber” and, amused by the idea of getting a trim at 11 in the evening, books an appointment. That fateful decision kicks off a story that lands on (off) Broadway.

The book is credited to R.M. Usatinsky who describes the barber Charlie as having a bio which “reads like a work of fiction”. It is also a bio which bears a striking resemblance that of the author himself given R.M. Usatinsky is the pen name of Richard Morris. He and Charlie are both from Chicago, they both previously owned a bow tie making business, they are both barbers, they both founded New Wave bands and both are keen to produce plays.

Adam Driver and the Million Dollar Haircut is ostensibly about Charlie’s path from offbeat hair professional to off-Broadway musical producer. The book follows Charlie as he writes a screenplay, does a first production in the Netherlands before ultimately staging his one-man show in New York City. Charlie’s interesting and chaotic life story plays out in the form of conversations between barber and client.

The work is self-published and suffers from the same problems many self-published novels do. It could have used a better editor — spelling sometimes is inconsistent — and parts in the middle can drag.

Bringing fiction to life, the book is now also a show. Just like in the book, Morris is staging a performance in The Hague in October.

Morris moved to the Netherlands in 2010 for a teaching job, made bow ties and opened a night barber shop. He is still taking clients.

Adam Driver and the Million Dollar Haircut is charming and funny and you can pick it up on Amazon.